


Dear Believer

by NeverAndAlways



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Battle of Scarif, Childbirth, Gen, M/M, Married Chirrut Îmwe/Baze Malbus, Minor Chirrut Îmwe/Baze Malbus, Mpreg, Post-Canon, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-18 07:58:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9375551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverAndAlways/pseuds/NeverAndAlways
Summary: I've been dying to write something like this since I saw Rogue One. And today's a snow day, so why not?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (The premise of this one is that Cassian and Bodhi knew each other for some time before the events of the movie. Like, a few years.)

Cassian and Jyn stumble onto the ship. They're both wounded, but it's superficial, and they can barely feel it anyway thanks to adrenaline. Which means it'll hurt like hell tomorrow. What matters now is that they're alive. Baze catches his eye for an instant, then turns to K-2 and gestures.

"Go!"

The engines rumble. The ship lifts off. They can see the blast through the rear windows; the shockwave isn't far away. As soon as they get enough altitude, K-2 jams on the accelerator to put some distance between them. They'll jump to hyperspace as soon as they've cleared the atmosphere.

Jyn untangles herself from Cassian. A glance says all that needs to be said. He nods, and she goes to patch herself up. He should do the same, but where is-?

"Cassian." Baze is in the co-pilot's chair. He looks over his shoulder and calmly says, "Your pilot's upstairs. Got here just before you did." as Cassian turns to run for the stairs, he adds, "You might want to hurry."

Cassian doesn't have to be told twice. He takes the stairs two at a time. If something's happened to Bodhi or the kid- 

"Hello?" he looks around; there's no one in sight. "Bodhi, it's me!"

A silhouette appears in the doorway to the old crew lounge. It hisses for his attention. Not Bodhi; Chirrut.

"Chirrut? What's-?"

"Shh." the monk puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They will both be well. But fear will not help." a ghost of a smile crosses his face. "Come on."

Somehow, this room has stayed cleaner than anywhere else on the ship. Probably because it's rarely used. A few battery-powered lanterns give just enough light to see by. A bench sits at the far end and on it, half-covered with an emergency blanket, is Bodhi Rook. He's sitting with his legs tented; his belly throws a bizarre shadow against the wall.

Cassian hurries to Bodhi and pulls him into a hug. _He's alive_. Bodhi buries his face in Cassian's shoulder, throws his arms around him and squeezes. A sound escapes into the crook of Cassian's neck. Not quite a moan, not quite a whimper. Cassian has never been so glad to see anyone in his life. He moves back just far enough to look Bodhi in the eye.

"You're okay? You and the baby?"

Bodhi nods at first. A split second later, he pulls away with a groan. Fear rises cold in Cassian's chest.

"Bodhi?"

A dry _clack, clack_ behind them makes him turn. Chirrut puts his cane under his arm and sets a medkit down on the end of the bench.

"Your pilot is in labor." he says, just as calm as his husband. Cassian turns to Bodhi.

"It's only a month early," Bodhi says breathlessly, "it'll be okay."

"The stress of the battle probably triggered premature labor. They should both be fine." Chirrut opens the medkit, locates the necessary items by touch, and lays them out within easy reach. Cassian turns to Bodhi.

"How long?"

"Soon. Very soon." Bodhi's eyes are closed in concentration.

Chirrut interrupts by thrusting a large bowl into Cassian's hands. "Go to the refresher," he says, "wash your hands, and fill this with hot water." when Cassian hesitates, he gives him a gentle nudge. "He'll be fine. Go."

If Cassian's learned one thing from this whole fiasco, it's that you don't argue with Chirrut (unless you're Baze, of course, but that's different). He turns on his heel and jogs away.

 

▪°°°▪

 

Stars streak past the window. Jyn squints at them as she approaches the cockpit. She's just spent half an hour treating her wounds and scrubbing off dirt and soot and blood, and she still feels grimy. What she wouldn't give for a proper shower.

K-2 sits at the controls. Baze is in the co-pilot's seat, using a cloth to thoughtfully polish his machine gun. His expression softens when he looks up at Jyn.

"Hello, Miss."

"Hi." Jyn looks around. "Where is everybody?"

"Cassian and Bodhi are upstairs. Chirrut's with them."

"The pilot is giving birth." K-2 adds, in his vaguely put-upon tone. "If you ask me, I think the whole process is unnecessary and overrated. There are far easier methods of reproduction than what you humans insist upon using."

"Thank you, K-2, that's enough." Baze's tone is soft, but there are many ways to say 'shut up'. The droid shrugs his mechanical shoulders and returns his attention to the controls.

"Is he really...?" asks Jyn. Baze nods.

"Mm-hmm. He was probably in labor for most of the battle. Barely made it back to the ship. Would've had to find somewhere to deliver down there, if it hadn't been for Chirrut."

A faint cry echoes down from the second floor. They both look up toward the source. Then Baze looks down and nods to Jyn.

"He'll be alright," he says gently. "You go and get some rest. I'll let you know when we've arrived."

Jyn is halfway across the room when Baze suddenly says her name. She turns.

"You did well down there, Jyn. Your father would have been proud."

 

▪°°°▪


	2. Chapter 2

"Slowly, slowly. Take your time."

Chirrut hovers one hand over Bodhi's shoulder. Not quite touching, but then again he doesn't need to. Cassian, on the other hand, is almost supporting the pilot's full weight. Step by step they navigate around the bench to the wall. Bodhi's fingers dig into Cassian's arms.

"Guys--" he warns. There's a frantic edge to his voice.

"Hang on, let's get you situated first." Cassian tries to placate him.

"No, Cass, I have to push." his tone goes from frantic to borderline panicky. "It's right there, I can feel it, I-- _stars_ \--" Bodhi stops and pitches forward into Cassian with a grunt of effort. He's tense as a coiled spring, every muscle dedicated to bearing down. Cassian presses their foreheads together. He doesn't know what else to do.

Finally, Bodhi stops and heaves a deep breath. "Sorry..."

"Don't be, it's alright. C'mon-" Cassian guides him the last few steps to the wall. Once there, Bodhi leans back against it and rests a moment. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows; his pants sit on the end of the bench. Chirrut moves away to give the pair some privacy, under pretense of checking the supplies. Cassian moves in close to Bodhi; almost nose-to-nose. That's how they've always been, more or less. Finding comfort in sharing space. He cups Bodhi's jaw in one hand and plants a quick, chaste kiss on his lips. But the pilot is too far gone to respond. He grits his teeth.

"Need to push again."

"Then do it. I'll be right here."

Bodhi starts to push before he's even finished the sentence. Cassian braces against his shoulders to keep him upright. The pilot breathes a long note of distress into the space between them, and Cassian's heart lurches in sympathy.

"Again." Chirrut interjects when Bodhi stops for breath. "Push as long as you can with the contraction." he moves back to his place at Bodhi's side, keeping a respectful distance but still hovering a hand over the pilot's shoulder. As though reading him.

Bodhi does as he's told. He draws a shaky breath and bears down again, harder, until the contraction ends and he has to ease off the pressure. He reaches down between his legs and seems dismayed to find blood on his hand but no progress.

"Give it time." says Cassian gently.

The next one packs a punch. Bodhi throws himself--or is dragged--into it with a push that leaves him flushed and breathless, and then another. He breathes deeply during the lull, then it's straight back into the fight.

Cassian feels so helpless. He's spent his whole life in battle against one thing or another, and now he's faced with something he can't fight at all. He can't shoot it, he can't hit it, and worst of all, he can't even protect Bodhi from it. All he can do is watch. As Bodhi comes down from another round of contractions, Cassian reaches out and tucks a wayward strand of hair behind the pilot's ear. He feels the engines downshift, signalling that they've dropped out of hyperspeed. He pays it no mind.

Suddenly Bodhi cries out. He reaches down again, and his eyes fly open. He huffs out a surprised breath.

"Bodhi?" Cassian tries to get his attention. The pilot's eyes focus on him for a moment.

"I felt it," he breathes, "it's coming." a smile flashes across his face.

A feeling Cassian can't identify spreads through him like ice water. Some combination of excitement and terror. The next instant, Bodhi is widening his stance to push again. The pilot groans; Cassian is going to have some interesting bruises on his arms.

"Good," says Chirrut, "you're doing well."

The groan is now a whine. There's a _splash_ on the metal floor beneath Bodhi: his water broke. He doesn't seem to notice. But without that fluid cushion, the contractions are a lot more powerful. The whine ramps up into a harsh cry at the tail-end of the push.

"Hah...hah..." he pants when he comes up for air. Chirrut breaks his connection long enough to get one of the towels Cassian brought from the refresher, and lay it on the floor between Bodhi's feet.

"You'll be crowning soon." he sounds so matter-of-fact about it. Bodhi lets out a low scream with the next contraction. His legs are shaking; moving awkwardly, slow and stilted, he bends his knees and slides down the wall into a low squat. Chirrut kneels at his side and loops Bodhi's arm over his shoulder, then motions for Cassian to do the same. Meanwhile, Bodhi pants, vocalizing with every breath. The sound rises to a gravelly yell as he presses his hips down and back with the effort of pushing. His hands clench into fists.

He draws a ragged breath and grimaces. "It burns."

"That means it's getting close. Push hard with the next one." says Chirrut.

Bodhi lets out a whine as though he'd rather do anything but that. But he doesn't have a choice in the matter, so he gathers his strength and bears down until his face flushes and the muscles stand out in his neck.

"Again."

Cassian watches as the baby's head inches forward. He thinks he's never been as proud of anyone as he is of Bodhi right now. "It's coming," he murmurs, "I can see it. You're doing so well. Just keep pushing."

The head pushes forward until he can almost see the full curve of it. It retreats when the contraction ends, and Bodhi chokes out a frustrated moan.

"You almost had it. Try it again." Cassian lays a kiss on Bodhi's cheekbone. The pilot takes a breath, then another, then he bears down. The head pushes forward and crowns fully--

"Push, keep going, just like that--"

\--and then it's out. Cassian lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Bodhi, still vocalizing with each exhale, unhooks his hand from Chirrut's shoulder and reaches down between his legs. His eyes widen. He smiles.

"Stars, Bodhi..." says Cassian weakly.

"Well done." Chirrut smiles--a rare thing when he's not around Baze. Bodhi puts his arm around Chirrut's shoulder again.

"Cass." Bodhi gasps. He's already gearing up for the next contraction. "Catch."

"Catch? Wh--" Cassian realizes what he means just in time. He slides Bodhi's arm off his shoulder and moves around in front of him. Chirrut directs him to gently cup the baby's head as it rotates, and then Bodhi is pushing again. The pilot gives a pained grunt, which turns into a growl, and then another low scream as the shoulders work their way out.

And then it happens. With a cry of relief from Bodhi, the baby is finally born--straight into Cassian's hands. Nothing could have prepared him for it. He opens his mouth, but no words come out. Not until he lifts the slippery newborn to his chest and it lets out a gurgly cry--then he falls apart. He grins so wide it makes his cheeks hurt, and he's pretty sure he's crying. He glances up; Bodhi's more or less the same.

"It's a girl." he breathes. Chirrut passes him a towel, then turns his attention to the baby. Long fingers ghost over its little scrawny arms and bowed legs and scrunched-up face. 'Reading' her with the Force. He smiles.

"Congratulations."

Now Bodhi reaches out. He scoops the baby up from Cassian's arms, unzips his shirt, and tucks the little newborn inside, skin-to-skin. Then he slides the rest of the way down the wall to sit on the floor. The way he looks at her, holding one tiny hand in his own, is just about every cliché you can think of. And it's perfect, as far as Cassian is concerned.

 

•••°°°•••

 

The next half-hour is spent cleaning up Bodhi and the little one and taking care of other necessary things (including Cassian's injuries, now that he has a moment to breathe). Bodhi is too tired and sore to walk very far, let alone climb any stairs, so Cassian fetches a pair of cots from the crew quarters. Then, while Bodhi rests, Chirrut shows Cassian how to give the baby an exam--pulse, breathing, reflexes, et cetera. She passes with flying colors.

"How do you know so much about this?" asks Cassian when they're wrapping her up in a blanket.

"I've had some medical training over the years." Chirrut says, almost nonchalantly. "And I also have a daughter."

Cassian does a double-take. "Really?"

Chirrut laughs lightly. "She's out on her own now, but yes. Baze and I were just like you and Bodhi once."

"What, completely unprepared?"

"Young. Young and excited and inexperienced." Chirrut shrugs. "But also unprepared, yes."

Now it's Cassian's turn to laugh. The unfamiliar sound startles the baby into fussing. Cassian picks her up and cradles her to his shoulder--hoping he's doing it right--and walks with her over to Bodhi.

They've just gotten settled, of course, when a set of footsteps approaches the door. They look up.

"K? What are you doing here?"

The droid steps into the room, already looking bored. "It wasn't my idea. I have very little interest in any of this, but Baze and Miss Erso insisted l come with them to 'meet the baby'." he shrugs. "So. Congratulations, I suppose."

That's pretty high praise, coming from K-2. Bodhi smiles. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." K-2 turns to look over his shoulder. "There, I said it. Can I go back downstairs now and pilot the ship like I'm supposed to?"

"Yes, thank you, K-2." Jyn steps around him and into the room. The droid wastes no time making his exit; he clanks away without so much as a backward glance. Jyn watches him go, and rolls her eyes before turning back to her friends. She smirks. "You know, they say it's bad luck to have a carrier on your ship." she teases. Bodhi smirks right back.

"Too late."

"Two times too late." adds Chirrut. Baze clomps into the room behind Jyn, and Chirrut's expression softens considerably. "Ah, now _those_ footsteps I recognize."

Baze goes to his husband's side, the ghost of a smile on his face, and says simply, "hello." then he loops his arm with Chirrut's, and nods to Bodhi and Cassian. "Congratulations, you two." Bodhi nods respectfully in return.

Jyn cautiously approaches the makeshift bed. She's limping a bit. "Can I...?"

Cassian gestures to the empty space at the end of the cot. Jyn sits down. She still looks apprehensive, but there's a light in her eyes. "Is it a boy or a girl?" she asks in an undertone.

"It's a girl." Cassian beams.

"What are you going to call her?" Baze this time; he's keeping a respectful distance. Bodhi looks at him, then at Cassian, then the baby.

"...Rina, I think." he says softly. "It was my mother's name."

"It's very pretty." replies Baze.

"I have to ask," says Cassian, "did you guys really drag K-2 down here?"

"No. It didn't even take much convincing."

Cassian snorts in amusement. And, speak of the devil, the comm system crackles to life with the droid's voice not a moment later. "Miss Erso? I'm having a problem with the guidance system again. You may want to come and take a look."

Jyn swears under her breath. "I guess that's my cue...congratulations to you both." she says, and hurries out the door.

Chirrut listens as her footsteps fade. "I think we had better go, too," he says to Baze. Then, to Cassian and Bodhi: "You did well today. The Force was with both of you."

"Thank you, Chirrut." says Bodhi, "For everything."

Chirrut pauses in the doorway behind Baze. "If you need me, just yell."

The door swishes shut, leaving Cassian and Bodhi alone with their baby. She's awake and alert, but quiet, staring up at them with dusty-blue eyes. Cassian draws one finger along her downy cheek. 

"He's right, you know. You were amazing." he murmurs to Bodhi.

"So were you."

"I mean it."

"I know."

"...So is she."

The pilot smiles drowsily. "Mm-hmm."

Cassian quirks a half-smile. "Get some sleep, you've earned it. I'll hold her for a while."

Bodhi doesn't argue. He passes Rina to Cassian and lies down, and is dozing soon after. Cassian pulls a blanket over him.

Once Bodhi is asleep, Cassian gets up and walks with Rina to the window. He stands there for quite some time, just looking at her. And thinking. With what they just did on Scarif, the galaxy she grows up in could be very different from the one they know. Her life will be different from theirs.

Hopefully, for the better.

 

•••°°°•••


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I just wanted to write some Chirrut/Baze dialogue. Hope you enjoy.

They arrive at their destination later that day: a small, sparsely-populated world in the Mizar system. Cassian's been using it as a hideout for years. Landing feels like a collective sigh of relief; it's the first chance they've had to slow down since this all started. To breathe, and try to make sense of what happened before they plan their next step.

Baze walks into his quarters. Pinkish Mizarian sunlight trickles through a window onto the grimy floor. He sighs, lifts his blaster from his shoulder and lays it down next to his cot--something he only does when he feels completely safe. He gives it a pat, as though thanking it. Then he turns around.

"I was wondering where you disappeared to." he says.

His husband is stretched out on the other cot. Relaxed, but straight as a board, with his legs crossed at the ankles and his hands laced together on his chest. And wearing an expression that suggests he's contemplating something serious. He turns his head briefly toward the sound of Baze's voice.

"Hello."

Baze begins to unbuckle his armor. He casts Chirrut an amused sidelong glance. "I know that look. What are you pondering?"

"Not pondering. Just remembering." Chirrut stretches like a cat.

"Oh?"

"Cassian and Bodhi's little one reminded me of Asha. When she was that small."

Baze smiles. "She's nearly 23, Chirrut."

"I know that. But sometimes I miss it."

"Really? You miss the teething and diapers and being tired all the time?"

"That is not the point. You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do. But it's my job to tease you."

Chirrut makes a sound that's somewhere between amused and annoyed, then he's quiet for a minute. Baze takes a cloth from his pocket and starts to polish his armor.

"...You were a lot like Bodhi, back then." he says thoughtfully. His husband scoffs.

"Now you're just being mean."

Baze laughs, bright and baritone at the same time. "I mean it. You remember how excited you were to meet Asha." this coaxes a small smile out of Chirrut. "And you weren't so serious back then, either."

"I am not going to dignify that with a response."

That's that, then. Baze shakes his head. "Anyway, I promised Jyn I'd help her repair the power conduits on the upper deck..." he crosses the room, leans over the cot, and steals a kiss from Chirrut. Chirrut steals it back. "I'll leave you to your reminiscing, you old philosopher."

With that, Baze clomps out of the room and down the hall. His husband sighs. Elsewhere, faintly, Rina begins to cry. And Chirrut shuts his eyes, and remembers.

°°°☆☆☆°°°

**Author's Note:**

> If you like the story, please leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you!


End file.
